


Reformation

by RosieRiveter125



Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: Canon-Typical Behavior, Canon-Typical Violence, Canon-Typical view of the catholic chruch, Child Abuse, Gen, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Pre-Canon, Spanking, Tommy doesn't deserve this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:00:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25557742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RosieRiveter125/pseuds/RosieRiveter125
Summary: Tommy Shelby doesn't get caught...except when he does.When teenage Tommy Shelby slips up and gets caught pickpocketing money for groceries he ends up getting stuck at St. Dominic's Institute for Boys for a week. (A.K.A: How Tommy started to lose his faith once and for all)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	Reformation

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is the first time I've posted anything on AO3. I'm learning as I go. Thanks for the support!

Tommy stared down at his hands in iron cuffs, still struggling to believe he had really been caught. He was Tommy fucking Shelby after all, and Tommy fucking Shelby didn’t get caught, except this time, he supposed. The police station was quiet, uncomfortably so. He sat on a bench latched to the wall, across from the sergeant’s desk. He’d been sitting there for almost an hour, after being marched in by some fresh-faced little officer named Moss, plunked down, and told to wait quietly. Since then the sergeant hadn’t said a word to him, just left him to stew.

“Name?” The unbearable silence was finally broken, and Tommy’s blue eyes shot up to look at the sergeant. He eyed the placard on the man’s desk to learn his name. It turned out to be Peterson. “What is your name?” Sergeant Peterson repeated impatiently when Tommy didn’t answer right away.

“Um...Thomas.” he replied, feeling dumb. 

“And your surname?” the sergeant prodded, thoroughly unamused. His mind raced, trying to think of a way to not give his real identity without being caught out.

_ Too late _ . “It’s Shelby, Sarge. Thomas Shelby.” the young officer from before piped up, as he came by to drop some paperwork on the sergeant’s desk. The older man eyed him, confused as to how he would know the name of a ragged little pickpocket. “His older brother was my school mate.”

_ Damn it! _ Tommy cursed this Officer Moss and Arthur at the same time. 

The Sergeant nodded, satisfied with the explanation. He turned his attention back to Tommy. “How old are you, boy?”

Tommy pursed his lips, no point in lying now. “16, Sir.” he answered.

“And uh, Officer Moss brought you in for stealing 5 shillings out of gentleman’s coat pocket.” Sgt. Peterson confirmed.

Tommy nodded tiredly. “Yes, sir.”

The Sergeant removed his glasses and set them down on the desk, he seemed almost as tired as Thomas. “And why were you doing that?”

Tommy gritted his teeth irritably.  _ Because I didn’t have a choice _ , he thought bitterly. “Because I had to pay for groceries somehow. ” is what he actually said.

Sgt. Peterson ran a hand over his face and shook his head. “Never heard that one before...” he mumbled sarcastically.

Moss, on the other hand, snorted. “Oh, what and your father’s scams and gambling profits couldn’t cover it?”

Tommy glared at him, running his tongue over his teeth but he didn’t bother to respond. Arthur Sr. had been back in town for a few weeks and he’d only made things harder on the Shelby kids and Polly. He hadn’t been back that morning from the pub and the younger kids were hungry. He had no choice but to problem solve. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out so well this time.

Sgt. Peterson interjected. “That’s enough, Moss. I want you to go find this boy’s father and bring him here where we will discuss his son’s release.” the man said offhandedly as he signed the bottom of a note and held it out to Moss.

Now Tommy’s eyes went wide and he felt panic start to rise inside of him. “Sir, please, don’t send for my father. Send for my Aunt Polly instead.” Moss was already on his way out. “Please, you don’t understand.”

Sgt. Peterson smirked. “Oh, I understand, lad. But if you were worried about a sore backside you should’ve thought of that before you broke the law.”

_ It’s not me I’m worried about _ , Tommy thought. If their father found out, who was to say what would happen to his siblings. He’d be angry and he’d want to take it out on someone.

In the meanwhile the sergeant left Tommy to sit in silence on the bench again. It wasn’t until nearly two hours later that the station doors opened again and Officer Moss led Arthur Shelby Sr. in. The man looked thoroughly displeased and Tommy felt his blood run cold. When Moss directed him over to the desk Tommy panicked and started talking, “Dad, I-” he tried but he got no further before a deadly glare from Arthur Sr. shut him up.

Sergeant Peterson looked up from his papers and asked, “Arthur Shelby?”

“Yes, that would be me.” Tommy’s father responded.

Sergeant Peterson gestured toward the chair across from the desk. “Please, have a seat.” he waited while Arthur Sr. got situated in the chair and then folded his hands and began, “So, has Officer Moss explained why your boy is in our custody?”

Arthur nodded. “Yes, he has, though I can’t say I’m surprised. Thomas has always been the most troublesome of all my children.”

“That so?” the sergeant asked.

Arthur Sr. nodded and Tommy thought the rage bubbling up inside of him was going to make him self-combust. “Horrid problem with authority, that one. Lacks discipline, though not for lack of trying on my part.” he shot a pointed glance back at Tommy who glared in response. Pickpocketing was all his father’s idea anyway. He was the one that taught him, and told him that’s what he should do in a pinch. “That being said, I can assure you, he’ll be dealt with properly when we get home.”

The Sergeant nodded. “I’ve no doubt of that, Mr. Shelby.” he said and then picked a piece of paper up and put it down in front of Arthur Sr. “As you can see,” he began, pointing to something on the paper, “It will be 3 pounds for his release, and then he’s all yours to handle.”

Tommy felt his heart sink at hearing this. If his father had to pay 3 pounds he may as well say his prayers because he was absolutely going to die. His life was over.

Arthur Sr.’s eyes went a bit wide and he nodded slowly. “3 pound huh? A bit steep for a pickpocketing child, ey?”

Sergeant Peterson shrugged. “Well, Mr. Shelby it’s that or a week’s incarceration, considering it’s his first offense.”

_A week in prison? To hell with it!_ _Let me stay!_ Tommy thought, but didn’t dare say it. Then again, if he went home at least he’d bear the brunt of his father’s anger and he could protect the younger kids. He sat on the edge of his seat, wondering what his father was going to decide.

Arthur Sr. contemplated the matter quietly for a long moment. “So if I didn’t take him home he’d spend a week here?”

Sergeant Peterson shook his head. “No, not here. He’s still a minor so he’d be transferred over to St. Dominic's Institution for Boys.”

Now Tommy was even more torn. He was sure he’d rather spend a week in prison than in a catholic orphanage. He knew too well the rumors of things that went on at places like St. Dominic’s. Before he could protest, though, his father seemed to come to a decision. “Well, maybe that would do him some good. If I can’t get through to him, perhaps the good men of the church can.”

Tommy felt like he was going to be sick, both from his father’s nauseating fake piety and the thought of spending a week at the mercy of priests and monks, known around town by boys his age for their brutality and corruption.

Sergeant Peterson shrugged. “Fine by me. He’ll be transported right away. You can pick him up there next Tuesday. Someone must come get him for him to be released, though.”

Arthur nodded, “Oh, believe me. I will be waiting.” His tone was dark, and he turned once again to look at Tommy who refused to meet his eye.

Sergeant Peterson nodded and stood up from the desk he’d been glued to since Tommy arrived. “I’ll give you a moment then.” he said before leaving Tommy alone with his father.

Arthur Sr. stood up and towered over Tommy, still on the bench, refusing to look at him. “Look at me.” he ordered. When Tommy didn’t initially comply he took him by the chin and forced him to look up. “Shelby’s don’t get caught. You did this to yourself.”

“Go to hell…” Tommy spat, quietly. Usually that would earn him his father’s backhand, but he knew that even Arthur Sr. wouldn’t cause a scene in the police station.

Instead Arthur Sr. just grinned ominously. “Well, just don’t you forget you’ve still got me to deal with when you get back, boy.” he told him, and then he leaned down so that Tommy could hear him whisper, “Whatever those priests do to straighten you out, I’m going to make it look like a stroll in the park, Thomas.”

Tommy refused to let the fear of his father’s retribution show on his face, but inside he was terrified. This man had nearly broken his arm when he was 7, and sometimes he would beat him so badly he was sore for weeks purely for the fun of it. He couldn’t imagine what he would do to him after being arrested. Either way Tommy had bigger problems to worry about, like St. Dominic’s. 

Arthur Sr. gave him a pat on the shoulder and spoke loud enough for Sgt. Peterson to hear. “Be strong, my boy. You’ll be home soon.” Tommy just hung his head and tried to block him out. He heard his boots click on the floor as he was escorted back out of the station by Officer Moss. 

“Come on, lad. They’ll be waiting for you.” Sgt. Peterson said, now standing over Tommy. He ushered him up and handed him off to Moss. As he was brought to the transport van Tommy thought he felt a lot like a man condemned.


End file.
